Ridley's whereabouts unknown

Fears are mounting over the fate of journalist Yvonne Ridley as her family confirmed they had received no news of her whereabouts since the bombing of Afghanistan began.

The Sunday Express reporter was due to be released yesterday by her Taliban captors, but nothing has been heard from her.

There were unconfirmed reports yesterday that Ms Ridley had been released and would travel to the border with Pakistan today.

But this morning the home secretary, Jack Straw, said there was "no positive news" available as to her whereabouts.

Her father Allan Ridley, 77, told agencies this morning he had received no fresh information overnight.

Last night the family spoke of their dread after the US and Britain launched the military strikes.

Mr Ridley said: "This is the news we have been dreading. We are very worried. We just feel fear, fear for her safety."

"We don't really know where she is. They said they took her to Kabul. The Taliban have just been playing for time all along and it has not got any easier for us."

Ridley was seized near the north-eastern city of Jalalabad on September 28 after travelling to the region with two local guides.

She was held in solitary confinement in a house for her first seven days in captivity before being moved to a prison in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

Ridley was not carrying her passport and it had been feared she would be tried by the Taliban on espionage charges.

A spokesman for Express Newspapers said it remained hopeful Ridley would be freed despite the latest developments.

"We received word from the Taliban and the Foreign Office on Saturday that Yvonne was on her way to freedom. Despite events since then we remain hopeful of her eventual release.

"Naturally everyone at the Express, as well as Yvonne's family, is praying that she will be home soon," the spokesman added.

"In the meantime the company is doing everything it can to help diplomatic and humanitarian efforts to bring about Yvonne's release. Our editorial director, Paul Ashford, and a company lawyer remain in Pakistan working on Yvonne's behalf."